


Agent, What Have You Done?

by Artemis_Egeria



Series: Lost and Found [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe of a Fanfiction, Alternate Universe of an Alternate Universe, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Flirting, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, Implied/Referenced Prostitution, Masturbation, My First Smut, Phone Sex, Porn With Plot, Smut, Teasing, Writing outside my comfort zone, again very brief, referenced attempted suicide, that should definitely be a tag, very brief - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:00:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23578819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_Egeria/pseuds/Artemis_Egeria
Summary: An AU sequel to JustAnotherMarvelGirl's "Agent, are you even listening to me?"Vision and Wanda continue their cat and mouse game until the Avengers capture him. They decide to work together to bring down the real enemy who's hidden in plan sight.
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Series: Lost and Found [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1737250
Comments: 9
Kudos: 13





	Agent, What Have You Done?

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Agent, are you even listening to me?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23572384) by [JustAnotherMarvelGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAnotherMarvelGirl/pseuds/JustAnotherMarvelGirl). 



> I was so inspired by reading JustAnotherMarvelGirl’s fic, “Agent, are you even listening to me?” that I really wanted to expand on it. She was gracious enough to let me write a sequel/AU to the first chapter, though she added on to the original story herself (now a series called “One Step Ahead”). 
> 
> This story picks up where the first part of her series left off. Most of the action takes place in Washington, D.C., though the original occurs in London.
> 
> This is also my first foray into smutty territory in the spirit of the original.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

Vision had almost caught _her_ four times since that night.

Bangalore (official name Bengaluru). A jump from a roof onto a soft awning below them and then down to a waiting car. A kiss blown over her shoulder. Saint Petersburg. Tracks disappearing in the snow. A note saying, “You’ll have to try _harder_ than that next time, Agent.”

Portland. Vision had tracked her to a small café. He made just a big enough show of running into an old friend that she couldn’t immediately leave without drawing more attention. She’d glared at him, but he didn’t think he was imagining the hint of admiration in her eyes. It was their longest conversation. He tried to convince her and the others to come in voluntarily. She refused, of course. He was marshalling more arguments just as a server was walking by. Wanda “accidentally” knocked a glass of iced tea into his lap. She apologized profusely and said something about going to get napkins as she disappeared behind the server’s back. By the time he freed himself from the concerned server, she was gone.

Nairobi. With help from his old friend T’Challa, he’d found her in a nightclub. Vision was certain that the others were around, but Wanda was the only one in sight. She was wearing a short red dress. This time she was the one to approach him. She pulled Vision onto the dance floor and began to grind sinuously against him. The booming baseline prevented any conversation, but he told himself he was only keeping her close until he could pull her into a spot where his team could apprehend her.

Even then Vision knew he was lying to himself. His hands anchored themselves to her hips, and he thought of nothing more than moving in time with her. He swayed behind her, letting his breath tickle her bare neck, pleased when goosebumps rose in his path. She leaned more heavily against him as the music changed to a slower, hypnotic rhythm.

Eventually, she turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. For a moment, she was not a hardened criminal, and he was not the agent assigned to catch her. They smiled helplessly at each other, and they were only two people in a club who drawn together by a powerful magnetic force. Then, in a blink, she remembered herself and fled into the crowd without another word. Vision lied once again and communicated to his team that he had missed them.

With each encounter, Vision found himself more intrigued and less willing to catch her. He also wanted her more and dreamed about her more after each near miss. Their last meeting in particular had provided fuel for many erotic fantasies. He imagined going with her into a dark corner of the club or into the alleyway outside and consummating their attraction.

And here they were again. Under very different circumstances.

This last time they had been in an alley in Phoenix. He had her backed up against the brick, handcuffs on again, no rescue in sight. He’d had one hand raised to activate his communicator to call for backup. He knew that if he didn’t turn her in now, he never would. But then an arm came around his neck, and the world went black.

Now, here he was, bound to a chair. No idea where he had been taken. He was still clearing the stars from his vision when he noticed Miss Maximoff come into view. At least she seemed to be prepared for seduction, not murder. She was wearing form-fitting leggings and a tank top with a deep vee-neck that accentuated all her wonderful curves. Vision tried not to swallow too obviously as she walked toward him with an exaggerated sway of her hips and a tempting smirk on her face.

“Hello, Agent Vision.” She stood inches away from him, giving a clear view of her chest, which was no doubt by design.

“Miss Maximoff.” He strived to maintain an air of professionalism, despite the desire that was curling in his chest.

“You’re not the only one who can do some detective work.”

This was not where he anticipated the conversation going. “What do you mean?”

“I did a little digging into your past. Your old cases. I know what kind of people you caught, how angry you secretly were when some of them got away scot-free.”

He tried to deny it. “That is the price you must pay for fair trials. As William Blackstone once said, it is better that ten guilty escape than one innocent suffer.”

Miss Maximoff’s smirk did not dissipate. “I know you don’t really believe that, not the kind of criminals you put away.” At that she moved even closer, standing between his legs, bringing her face close to his so that the smell of her perfume surrounded him. “But I didn’t come here to debate criminal justice. I have a proposition for you.”

Vision thought that he would agree to just about any proposal she put forward at this moment. He could not help the way his body reacted to her closeness, which she had not failed to notice. Her smirk grew wider. “Not that kind of proposition. Though perhaps another time.” Vision’s mouth went dry.

She perched on his knee, so that they could be face-to-face. He was captivated once again by how beautiful she was. Surprisingly, Miss Maximoff turned serious. “Whether you agree or not, I promise we won’t harm you. We’ll leave you somewhere with a burner phone, so you can call for help. I want you to know that we do not intend to coerce your aid. If you agree to our plan freely, we can work together. If not, we’ll return to the status quo.”

She was continually surprising him. He had no idea what kind of proposal the Avengers would put forward. But there was only one way to find out. “I understand.”

“Good. What we want is help from the inside. We want to know who is so desperate to catch us. We know it must be someone guilty.” She stared at him. “And we think you suspect it, too. You haven’t been nearly as enthusiastic at catching us since that first time you had me cornered.” Vision had to look away at the memory. That night had played far too often in his dreams. Every variation more sinful than the last.

Wan- Miss Maximoff gently drew his face back to hers with a hand on his chin. Her mischievous smirk was back in full force. He knew it was useless to hide his flush or the widening of his pupils. She whispered in his ear, drawing her hand down his chest. “Have you thought about me since then?”

Any denial died in his throat. “Yes.” Even his voice betrayed him. It was roughened with his long-suppressed desire. She shifted closer to him, brushing against his erection.

“Good.” Her voice dripped with satisfaction, and Vision was almost ready to beg for her to touch him, to do anything she pleased with him. “I’ve thought about you to,” she purred. “I dreamed about that night. I dreamed that you snuck you hand underneath my dress and fingered me. I dreamed that you got down on your knees and ate me out. I dreamed that you kept me where I was, pressed me against the wall, pulled my panties down, and fucked me. Do you have any idea how wet I was?”

He shook his head mutely. “I couldn’t let on, of course. But I fucked myself good later that night thinking of the fun we could have had.”

Vision was now staring open-mouthed. He never would have imagined that Wanda had dreamed of that night in the same way he had. He couldn’t help himself. His erection was straining against his pants, and he leaned into kiss her.

But she abruptly stood up and backed away, leaving him cold and wanting. She did look regretful, but her stance was determined, all mischief gone. “I’m sorry to leave you hanging like this, but I prefer my bondage agreed to beforehand. I want you to make your decision with a clear head.”

“My head is clear enough to agree to this.” It was a desperate lie, but he didn’t want her to leave.

She smiled sadly at him. “I think we both know that’s not true. Besides, I can’t sleep with you if you’re the enemy.” She started to walk away, but she turned around. “Are you hungry?”

As if on cue, his stomach growled. He looked down, frustrated that his body was once again betraying him. “I suppose I am.” It was rare for hunger to get the better of him. “How long have I been unconscious?”

“About twelve hours.” That meant that his team would be looking for him. “I’ll bring you something to eat.” She returned a few minutes later with a tray. She set it up on a folding table in front of him and freed one of his wrists, leaving the other tightly bound. To his disappointment, she said nothing and left as soon as she had checked to make sure his bindings were not too uncomfortably tight.

Some time later, long after he had finished his meal, and after he had calmed down and could think about the situation without lust clouding his mind, all three of the Avengers entered the room. Vision was once again disappointed that Wanda was not alone, and she had changed into a far less provocative outfit.

The Captain interrupted his thoughts. “So, did Wanda tell you the plan?” He noticed Wanda blushing. He supposed their conversation had gotten away from her as well.

“She said you wanted information from the inside of SHIELD.”

“Yes, if you agree to help us, we would give you a phone, so we can stay in touch. You would feed us anything you have on which SHIELD higher ups have something to hide. Then, we work together to catch them. What do you think?”

Vision did not miss Romanov giving Wanda a shrewd look. He wondered what was giving them away. But he turned to the Captain. He was grateful that Wanda had given him time to think. This was his chance to right the wrongs that persisted, despite all his efforts. “Yes, I will help you.”

Wanda smiled, Romanov nodded but still eyed him suspiciously, and the Captain moved to cut away his bindings. “Good. This will make things much easier.” He reached to shake Vision’s hand. “We’ll get you set up and Wanda will take you someplace where you’ll be able to rendezvous your team. We’ll have to make it look like you were kidnapped.”

“Technically, I was kidnapped,” Vision said dryly. Though this had turned out far better than he feared, he still felt the need to express some displeasure.

Natasha butted in. “What we mean is kidnapped and roughed up.” Vision could not hide his fear at those words. “Don’t worry. I’m really good at special effects makeup. I’ll just give you some bruises and a split lip.”

Vision let out a breath. “Ah, thank you.”

Romanov frowned deeply at him. “We’re not sadistic. We want justice, just like you. I’ll be right back.” Both Romanov and the Captain disappeared, leaving him alone with Wanda once more.

“I’m glad you’re working with us.”

“Yes, I am as well. I’ve been lying to myself when my suspects get out with no consequences. I’ve tried to ignore it, but I do think you have the right idea most of the time. Although I must argue with your methods.”

Wanda frowned. “There are good reasons for our methods.” Her air of mischief quickly returned. “And I hope your decision had nothing to do with you wanting to sleep with me.”

“No, I don’t believe so. I appreciate the distance you gave me.” With the knowledge of Wanda’s fantasies fresh in his mind, he dared to go on. “But…Since you and I are now working together, your concerns about sleeping with the enemy are no longer pertinent.”

“True, but it really doesn’t pay to mix business with pleasure.” Vision could feel his face fall as Wanda’s smirk returned. “But we’ll see.”

They did not have time for any further conversation before Romanov returned carrying a train case. She opened it on the table, revealing vials upon vials of different colors, compacts, and tools to apply them. She immediately set to work painting his face. When she was done, she handed him a mirror. The injuries were remarkably life-like. She handed him some makeup and instructions on how to create fading bruises over the next several days.

The Captain returned several minutes later with a package. “Here’s everything you need to communicate with us. We’ll talk soon.” Vision shook hands with him and Romanov before Wanda led him away.

They came to a garage with a nondescript sedan. He was surprised when Wanda pulled out a strip of black cloth. She smiled at his reaction. “Don’t get too excited. This is only so you don’t know where we are. We’re happy to work with you, but it will take a while to trust you fully.” She tied the cloth around his eyes. He shivered when she leaned in to whisper in his ear again. “But then again maybe another time.”

She led him to the passenger door. They started out in silence. Wanda made many different turns, no doubt a way to ensure that he was even more disoriented. After what he estimated to be roughly twenty minutes, Wanda said, “Tell me something I couldn’t find out from looking into your work.”

“Any area in particular?”

“Something random. Whatever you feel like.”

Vision pursed his lips. Most of his life was dedicated to his work. He had little social life to speak of. His hobbies had virtually disappeared as he moved up the ranks and gained greater responsibilities. Finally, he did think of something. “Chocolate is my favorite food. And you?”

“I play the guitar.”

“I would love to hear you play sometime.”

“Maybe one day. I only play for friends and lovers.”

“Which one do you think I may become?”

“Only time will tell.” Wanda gave that remark time to sink it. Vision had no idea how to respond. But soon they moved onto more mundane topics. The rest of the journey passed quickly.

After many more miles, Wanda stopped the car. “Okay. You can take your blindfold off now.” He opened his eyes to see desert all around him. He could not hide his worry. He did not think the Avengers had gone to all that trouble just to leave him for dead, but this did not look good. She shook her head when she saw his expression and handed him a piece of paper. “Relax. I swear we mean you no harm. Those are the coordinates of this spot. SHIELD should be able to get to you in about twenty minutes. We have information that they’re already looking for you in the area.”

“I apologize for my distrust, but I do have some reason for concern.”

Wanda gave him a considering look, and Vision felt like he was being carved open. “I guess. Trust goes both ways. We’ll have to work on that.” He nodded and tried to hand her the blindfold, but she shook her head again. “Keep that. It’ll add authenticity.”

“All right. Thank you for not actually beating me up.” He got out of the car.

Wanda let down her window and he leaned in to listen. “Thank you for agreeing to help us.” Her expression rapidly became less serious. “And thank you for being such a good sport about the teasing.”

He attempted to match her expression, though he fancied it did not look as natural and alluring on him as it did on her. “It was my pleasure to be teased by you. I look forward to seeing you again.”

His answer seemed to please her. “You know, you don’t have to wait for news to contact me. My phone is on all the time. You’ll find my number already programmed in.” Wanda gave him a final smirk and a wave.

With that, she started the car and was gone. Vision waited until the car was out of sight before he called his second in command.

***

Vision prepared to face the music the following morning. The jet trip from Phoenix back to headquarters in Washington D.C. gave him time to compose his thoughts. Ross had already requested to see him first thing. Despite his undercover work, he was not the most skillful liar. He had written a carefully edited report that contained just enough truth to be plausible. After he sent it to Ross, he rehearsed answers to the likely questions all night to prepare himself.

Ross was the picture of displeasure when Vision arrived at his office door. “What the hell, Vision? What did you tell them?”

“Nothing, sir.” He gestured to his cheek. “Hence, my souvenirs.”

“What did they want to know?”

“They wanted to know how I tracked them and what else my team knew. They grew displeased when I refused to answer.”

“And they just let you go?”

“Yes. Apparently, they believe that the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t. As you may have read in my report, they gave up. Then, they blindfolded me and left me in the desert.”

Ross shook his head. “Well, at least they didn’t do any permanent damage. I’m surprised, given their reputation.” Vision let that remark go without any commentary. The less he said, the less opportunity he had to give the truth away.

“Anyway, I didn’t want to do this, but it’s out of my hands now. Pierce wants to see you right now.” He was seldom called into his boss’s boss’s office. But he tried to keep his face impassive.

“What does he want?”

“He wouldn’t even tell me what he had planned. You’ve been the best agent, Vision, but you’ve really fucked it up now.”

“Yes, sir. I am aware.”

“Go.” Vision nodded stiffly and walked to the elevator. He pushed the button for the very top floor, grateful for the time to collect himself. Vision vowed to keep his eyes open and remain calm. Pierce was among his top suspects for who would have the most incentive to see the Avengers taken out. His career with SHIELD had been illustrious, but there were always whispers among the rank and file about how he gained his position. He was the one who always emphasized that the Avengers’ capture was more important than their condition.

When he reached Pierce’s office, his assistant waved Vision in. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a section of the side wall close up, a rustle of movement disappearing behind it. Vision took note of it to relay this oddity to the Avengers.

Pierce did not follow Vision’s gaze, too busy glaring at him. “How many times now have you been wrong about the Avengers’ location or failed to catch them, Agent Shade?”

“Five-well, six, counting yesterday, sir.”

“You’ve had a spotless record until you were assigned this case. What happened?”

“I apologize, sir, but they are very clever.”

“Mm.” He stood and turned to look out the floor to ceiling windows before facing Vision again. “I didn’t get to this position by being mistaken in my choice of personnel. You do know that your recent mistakes reflect badly not only on you but also this entire operation and myself?”

“I am aware, sir.”

“Ross has convinced me that you can still do the job if given the proper incentive. So, listen well. You have six months or until the next time you lead agents into the field and come up empty. Whichever comes first. If you don’t capture the Avengers by then, you’ll be demoted to a desk jockey.”

“I understand, sir.”

“Good. Now, get to work.”

“Yes, sir.”

As soon as Vision was safely ensconced in his office, he pulled out the flip phone that the Captain had given him. He texted Wanda to tell her that he needed to talk to them tonight. She agreed to call him at eight p.m. sharp. Vision worked through the rest of the day in a fog, torn between thoughts of losing his job and ruining the mission and the excitement of talking to Wanda again.

His phone rang at the appointed time. “Hi, Vizh.” He could hear the smile in her tone, and her accent caressed his ears. “Can I call you ‘Vizh’?”

“If you wish.”

“Good,” she murmured, in a way that he was certain was meant to wind him up. Her voice turned much more business-like as she continued, “I’m putting you on speaker. So, tell us what you found today.”

He described the odd motion in Pierce’s office. Steve immediately interrupted, a new sharpness in his tone. “Did you see what the person in the passageway looked like?”

“No, I only caught a flash of movement. Do you know whom I should be looking for?”

“Maybe. I’ll do a little more research on my end.”

Vision accepted this. “Pierce has given me six more months, or until the next field mission. I suggest you lay low, so that our cooperation is not forced to a premature close.”

Natasha’s voice said, “We’re good at that, when we want to fly under the radar. Anything else?”

“No, that is all for now.”

“All right. We’ll be in a touch in two weeks or so. We have a few loose ends to tie up here in Arizona first.”

Steve and Natasha quickly signed off. Vision could hear movement on the other end and Wanda saying something to the others. After a few more moments, Wanda’s voice sounded closer and clearer. “It’s just me again.”

Vision had to know something now that the others had left. He trusted his instincts when it came to his investigations, and it was important that he understood everything. “It felt like Steve was hiding something.”

“It’s a long story, and it hurts him to talk about. But he’ll tell you when you need to know.” Vision could almost see her face transform when she added, “Anyway, enough business. Did you have a good trip to D.C.?”

“Yes.”

“Did you _take care of yourself_ after our little talk?” Judging by her emphasis, Vision had no trouble deciphering what she meant. He found himself flushing ever more. He had pushed the thought to the side as he usual did when the occasional urge came to the surface. He did not expect this flirtation to become a regular occurrence. Perhaps he needed to get used to the idea of pleasuring himself.

“No, I was all right.” Then, he thought of her admission. “Did you?”

“Yeah, I recommend it. It’s really good stress relief.”

“I will consider your suggestion.”

Wanda chuckled. Vision would have been embarrassed, but he felt that she was laughing with him, rather than laughing at him. And given what they had already told each other, there was not much he could be embarrassed about. “You do that. Let me know how it goes.”

“I will. Take care of yourself until then.” Not meaning to make his farewell come out in such a suggestive tone, especially considering Wanda’s earlier words, he tried to take them back.

“That’s a tall order.” He could hear her amusement, and he imagined her eyes were scrunched up, twinkling merrily. “I’m not certain I can go that long.”

“That is- That’s not what I…”

“I know. It’s okay, Vizh. You know how I like to tease. I couldn’t resist after you gave me an opening like that.”

“Of course. Right. Well, good luck and stay safe.”

“Good luck to you, too, Vizh. Good night.”

After Wanda hung up, Vision had time to contemplate just how quickly he had stopped thinking of her as a target. The thought crossed his mind that he should not be wishing her good luck at all. He had no idea what their purpose in Phoenix was. And yet, he found that he was beginning to care more for her success than for whatever crimes they may be committing.

***

It was almost eleven o’clock a few nights later when Wanda’s call came through. It was far sooner than he had expected to hear from the Avengers.

“Hello, Wanda. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I’ve been thinking that I regret that we didn’t take advantage of our alone time the other day. I’ve been thinking about you every night.”

“I have been thinking about you, Wanda.”

She did not respond, but he could hear her breathing speeding up on the other end of the line. “What are you doing?” He had a guess, but he could not be sure. The flirting was one thing, but they had not given into their instincts.

“I think you know.” Her voice held a touch of amusement, but it had also grown huskier than he remembered. “It’s late at night. We’ve been flirting. I admitted that I think about you. I trust you’re smart enough to figure it out.”

One part of him certainly had ideas. Vision resisted the urge to wrap his around himself. He seldom gave into such urges. He needed to get this situation under control. Wanda was right; it did not do to mix business and pleasure. And yet… “You’re touching yourself.”

“Correct.” She sighed, and he could imagine her teasing herself, tracing her hand around the skin of her stomach, down to her thighs, before touching her core directly. “I thought that since I’ve been a little mean teasing you, I could at least let you know what I want to do with you. Are you interested?”

Vision only had to think for a moment. He was already so far gone. “Yes, _please_.”

“Good answer. Where are you?”

“I am just going to sit on my bed.” He stretched out his legs. Once he situated, he unzipped his pants and let his erection spring free, grateful to feel some relief. “Where are you?”

“In my room. I’m naked. I already got started before I had the idea to call you.”

He could see her, laid out on her bed, legs slightly spread. Her hand would glide smoothly along her skin until she reached her core. She would stroke her entrance, leaving her fingers glistening before easing one finger and then another into herself. Or perhaps she would use a vibrator, gradually turning up the power until she was trembling and screaming.

“Vision, did you hear what I said?” Vision barely realized that she had continued speaking, so lost in his mental images.

Vision flushed. “No, no, I got distracted. I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay. That’s kind of the point of all this. I just asked whether you were ready to keep going?”

“Oh, yes.”

“If we were together, I would suck your cock. Would you like that?”

“Yes.” He gripped himself tighter, imagining the warmth of her mouth around him, the sight of her kneeling between his thighs.

“What would you do to me?” Wanda gasped around the last word, and Vision contemplated what she may have done to induce that reaction.

“I would touch your breasts and play with your nipples.” He imagined the warm weight in his palms. He groaned at the thought.

“I like that.”

“I would kiss your neck. I would slide my hand down your stomach and tease you. I would press my finger inside you and feel your muscles contract all around me.” Pleasurable as he imagined that would be it was not enough. He thought of being inside her fully, squeezing himself in time with Wanda’s imagined rhythms.

“Fuck! Mmm. I’m feeling that now, feels so good.” The sound of her pleasure-riddled voice worked him up even more. He was already at the brink. “I would sink down on top of you and ride your cock.” He thrust into his hand at the thought. “I would scream your name as you filled me up all the way.”

Vision could not take it any longer. He let go. A grunt left him as he felt the orgasm rush through him. Wanda had evidently lowered the phone because he could hear the wet sounds of her fingers moving within herself. Then, there was that moment. He heard her moan more loudly, and her body stilled.

Silence filled the air after they both finished. When Wanda spoke again, her voice was rough. “Thanks for that.”

“You are welcome.” As Vision calmed down, he remembered the other part. “And _thank_ you. That was fantastic.” It had been so long since his last regular sexual partner, and since then he had denied himself this.

“It was. We’ll definitely talk soon. Night.”

“Good night,” Vision whispered.

He collapsed back on the bed, completely worn out. He could not remember ever coming that hard. Vision wished that Wanda were here right now. He wanted to give her the same pleasure. She had seemed to enjoy their little game, but he wanted her to be just as replete with pleasure as he could make her. 

***

“Hey, Vizh.” It had been several weeks since he had last heard from Wanda. He was pleased to hear her voice again. But every time they talked, he still felt the need to maintain some distance between them.

“Hello, Wanda.”

“Tomorrow night around eight take a stroll around your block. We’ll pick you up in the car I dropped you off in that time we kidnapped you.”

“Is it safe for all of you to be out in the open?”

“Of course. We’re pros at this, but we’ll be careful. Steve will be driving.”

“All right. I will see you then. Sweet dreams.”

“Are you asking me to dream about you?”

“If you like.”

“You know how much I do.” She ended the call without another word. He cursed at how easily she affected him. He wasn’t sure how a few slightly flirtatious words made him feel like a teenage boy again. He was ready to call her back and ask for a repeat of the other night, but he resisted. He could not deny the power of their attraction, but he was loath to admit exactly how much he wanted her.

He set to meditating, calming his mind and stilling his body. It took some time, but he managed to bring himself under control. The same exercises helped him make it through the next work day and the hours before the assigned meeting time.

He followed their instructions that evening. Steve and Natasha were in the front seat, and Wanda was in the back with him. Steve and Natasha greeted him warmly enough. Steve did remove a blindfold from the center console and handed it to Wanda. She was more apologetic than the previous time she had blindfolded him. He had to admit that it was a reasonable precaution. The Avengers did not survive so long on the run by being overly trusting. He submitted to the measure without protest.

Natasha and Steve returned to a previous conversation once they were under way. Vision found that he did not know what to say to Wanda. The confidence he had found to speak to her so blatantly during their last conversation and their earlier heated encounters deserted him.

To his consternation, Wanda did not seem the least fazed by the discrepancy between these circumstances and the night they had told each other their fantasies. She simply started a round of small talk, telling him about what she did in her free time and asking about his other cases. He tried to keep up as best he could.

When they came to a stop, Wanda removed the blindfold. They were inside a closed space, with no windows to give any hint to their location. They led him deeper inside what looked like an abandoned warehouse.

Four chairs were set up, with a table between them bearing some soft drink cans. They all sat down. Natasha was the first to pop her can open. She reclined slightly, giving every impression of being completely at ease. But Vision did not doubt that she was still watching him closely and would be ready in a moment if he chose to betray them.

Vision picked up a can. He was thirsty. “Is this for my benefit?”

Natasha inclined her head at him. “I wouldn’t trust any open drink around here if I were in your position.”

“Thank you.” He took a sip, enjoying the cool liquid. “Although I trust am more useful to you alive than dead.”

Steve winced a bit. “And we don’t go around killing people who don’t deserve it.” Shaking his head as if to clear it of some unpleasant images, he continued, “Anyway, let’s get started. I’ve been looking into Pierce, and I think he is involved with something we were looking into a few years ago.”

Vision sat up more fully and tried to pull all his wits about him. He had memorized practically every word of all three Avengers’ files. One element where they all lacked in detail was the origin of the group. Based on known crimes attributed to them, SHIELD speculated that Steve and Natasha had started operation first, and Wanda had joined them some months later. But little else was known. They had only reached SHIELD’s attention after they started attacking higher profile targets after more than a year of working together.

“What is that exactly?”

“The Winter Soldier program.”

“Is that not a myth?” He had heard whispers of experiments to create genetically enhanced super soldiers. Of unwilling recruits held in black sites across the world. Of assassins who never missed their targets. SHIELD agents tended to assume that it was all just propaganda put forward as a deterrent.

“No, it’s not.” Steve looked angrier than Vision had ever seen him, his jaw tight. “We had some leads early on, but we couldn’t find enough proof to make our move.” Vision waited for the Captain to go on. He felt that Steve was not telling the whole truth. He remained silent for a long time.

“What were you able to discover?” Vision prompted.

Natasha glanced at Steve and answered, “Not much. We had a few sources who told us bits and pieces, but then they went silent. Threatened, no doubt. Before they swore to us that the program did exist. They said it was started in the seventies.”

“That would have been when Pierce was moving up the ranks.”

Steve was still staring at nothing, so Natasha replied again. “Honestly, Ross was our first thought, but it could be him, too. We don’t have much more, unfortunately. One of our sources told us that they were changing the passwords and codes when they heard someone was asking questions. We moved on to other things since then, but we always keep an eye out. What do you think?”

Vision put his hand to his chin. “This will take some thought. Can you give me any other information to go on?”

Natasha glanced at Steve, who finally spoke again. “Look into Special Forces Unit 623. That should give you plenty for now.” Vision wanted to ask more after Steve’s unusual reaction, but he suspected he would get no more tonight. He did not like to waste effort on futile causes.

“All right, I believe I will start with Pierce after what I saw in his office.”

Natasha nodded her head. “We have some time. Be careful not to raise any alarms when you look into things.”

“I will.”

Natasha looked to Steve, who had returned to his own world. “Anything to add, Wanda?”

“Nope, before my time.”

“All right then. I think we’re done for tonight.” The talk turned more general after that. Vision expected to be escorted away immediately, but the Avengers included him in their chat, nothing serious or helpful, but he found he enjoyed their company.

Eventually, the night wore on. Steve excused himself first. Then, Wanda and Natasha had a silent conversation with their eyebrows that he could not decipher. Wanda stood and stretched. Vision tried not to look at the inch or two of bare skin along her midriff that was revealed. “Nat’ll drive you back.” Wanda started to turn away, but he gently touched her arm.

“May I speak with you in private a moment first?”

“Sure.” Natasha leveled a flat stare at them, but Wanda pulled him away before she could make a comment. “What do you want to talk about?”

“I wished to know if you regret our phone call the other night.” His voice cracked slightly, and he blushed helplessly, trying to clear his throat.

Her brows rose. “Of course not! I had fun. Why do you ask?”

“Today. You treated me as a mere acquaintance. I thought perhaps it was your way of creating distance.”

A snort of laughter escaped her before she could stifle it. She clamped her hand over her mouth to cover her continuing snickers. When she could speak again, she stared at him. Vision could only classify it as a look of amused exasperation. “Vizh! Think for a minute. Forgive me for not flirting heavily with you while my teammates were in the car. I prefer to leave that between you and me.”

“Oh, of course,” he said faintly. “I was not thinking clearly, was I?”

“No. Besides you haven’t called me. I said you could, any time you want. A girl would almost think you weren’t interested after having some really good phone sex with her.” Vision winced at her accusation. He had had his phone in his hands and her number selected at least half a dozen times since that night, but he had talked himself out of it. He didn’t know if he feared attachment or disappointment more. He was not sure their first wonderful results could be replicated. And part of him did not want to expect that she had even anticipated another such event.

“No! That’s not it. I simply did not wish to presume.”

Her eyes lit up even more. “Teasing,” she said in a sing-song voice.

“Oh, yes. You are fond of that.”

“Yes, I am. Don’t worry. I know you’re busy, and what we’re doing is very against regulations.”

Vision could not resist his own snort. “I believe that is the understatement of the year.”

“So we’ll just take this one day at a time.” She was interrupted by some prodding from Natasha. “You’d better go before she comes looking for you for real. Just remember. Call me any time.”

“I will keep that in mind.” He impulsively reached down and drew her hand to his lips. “Good night.”

“Sleep tight.” She grinned at him and lightly shoved him away.

Vision finally rejoined Natasha. The entire journey was silent until they were almost at his building. “Look, we’re all adults here. Wanda’s a big girl, and I trust her judgment. But I swear if you hurt her, both Steve and I will take turns breaking your kneecaps. And that would just be the appetizer.” As she was speaking, something sparked in the back of his mind, some strange sense of familiarity that he did not understand. The feeling passed as quickly as it came.

He had not expected this level of fierce protectiveness from the woman. As far as he knew, the three shared only a working relationship. Apparently, that was not the case. He supposed being on the run together must encourage closeness.

“I assure you, I intend no harm.” Truthfully, he thought the opposite was much more likely, but he was willing to take the risk.

“Good. We’re here. Until next time.” He nodded at her and went upstairs. He thought about the Avengers until he went to sleep. More than professional curiosity now filled his mind. For the first time, he thought this could be more than shared mission and a dalliance.

***

Over the course of the next month, Vision carefully searched the SHIELD databases for any information about the Winter Soldier program and Unit 623. Sure enough, Pierce had handled that case personally; everything was locked down to require his okay to access. Vision took the Avengers’ advice and tried to see what he could find by other means, being careful with how often he performed certain searches. A few times he ran into a password that he could not crack, but he did not push it.

Vision focused his in-person inquiries on Ross. He was only too happy most of the time to talk about his early career. Vision merely made a few brief remarks about the changes in SHIELD over the years and how he wished he had been active during Ross’s heyday, and Ross would regale Vision with many tales about the good old days.

Sadly, this was mostly nostalgic boasting. Vision did not learn anything terribly useful from these conversations. But Ross did turn to him more frequently, so he supposed gaining Ross’s trust was a benefit. Pierce remained aloof up in his office. He asked for progress every other week, but other than that, he left Vision alone.

He would normally consider that a benefit, but he did need something from Pierce. Upon consultation with the Avengers, he came to the conclusion that he needed to request information directly from the source if Ross gave him nothing.

Vision sought a meeting with Pierce. To his surprise, it was granted immediately.

“Do you have a lead, Shade? You’ve used up almost a third of your time with no visible results.”

“Not yet, sir, but I assure you, we will have them by the deadline.” The lies were coming easier the more divorced he felt from SHIELD’s mission. Their ends were not his any longer.

Pierce frowned at his reply. “Then what did you want?”

“I believe I might find a lead in an old case you handled, sir. That of Army Special Forces Unit 623.” It was a risk to ask so directly, but they were out of other options.

Vision fancied that Pierce grew a trifle paler, but he immediately hid it behind a snap. “What does that have to do with anything? It was a simple terrorist attack. We only devoted so much time to it because of the sentiments at the time and the caliber of the soldiers.”

“It is something the Captain said while I was captured. I think he knew he knew some of the men in that unit. Looking into the files for that case might give me a clue as to how to go forward. But the records are classified, locked at the only clearance level above mine.”

Pierce thought for several moments. Vision knew he was on right track when Pierce stared at him steadily. “Very well. I don’t see what you can hope to find after dozens of other agents have combed through it over the years, but I will have them sent down to your office by the end of the day.”

“May I take them home with me?”

“Fine, just see that not a single paper goes missing.”

“Of course, sir. Thank you.” Vision left the office, trying not to show his elation.

Vision was surprised when Pierce himself knocked on his door just before he was ready to leave for the evening. He had a somewhat evil smile on his face as he pushed in a pallet that appeared to contain a dozen or more boxes. “Here you are, Agent Shade. Good luck.”

He questioned what he was getting himself into.

***

With three and a half months left until Pierce’s deadline, Vision wasn’t overly worried. He had been in continuous contact with the Avengers, meeting them once a week or so. The files of the unit gave them plenty of material to scour. The boxes they had didn’t even cover the whole unit, only the ones who had died in an attack.

They methodically copied each piece of paper in every box. Their records were starting to fill a disused corner of their main living space. Vision had to admire the Avengers’ thoroughness when it came to the investigation. Observing Natasha in particular prodded something loose in the back off his mind, but he still could not place her.

Meanwhile, his conversations with Wanda had grown even more frequent, often flirtatious but sometimes not. Sometimes it would be a quick tease of Wanda trying to wind him up; other times they would talk about everything and nothing for hours. Part of Vision wondered whether she was only interested in talking to him because of the novelty of speaking to someone who wasn’t Natasha or Steve. But then she would laugh so genuinely at something he said, and he would forget they were only maintaining a tentative alliance. Then there had been the precious few occasions where they had pleasured each other on the phone that sent his mind spinning every time.

Today was something different. They decided that they had been driving to his apartment to pick him up too often, though they took a slightly different route every time. Instead, Vision was to meet Wanda at the Smithsonian. She had warned him that she would be disguised, so that she didn’t get rusty.

Vision arrived early, grateful to have an excuse to explore. He had last visited a year ago. Wanda had insisted that she would find him no matter what exhibit he chose. He found himself humoring her little game. He was curious how long it would take her to find him.

So Vision took himself to an exhibit on ancient technology. He traveled through displays on gold mines in ancient Egypt and Nubia, sailing ships from Mohenjo-Daro in the Indus Valley, and the earliest rockets from China, among other marvels. He had been there perhaps an hour and a half when he caught Wanda’s remarkable scent. He had been so absorbed in the displays that he hadn’t even realized someone was near him.

When he looked up, the only person in his vicinity was a woman with blue hair. She was turned away, but it had to be her. He supposed blue hair was obvious enough to make an unexpected disguise. He did not want to say the wrong thing or touch her if he was mistaken. He thought of and discarded several possible opening remarks before he settled on, “That is a new look for you, but I like it.”

She turned to face him, and he was relieved to see it was Wanda. She beamed at him. He was caught off guard by the joy he received just from seeing her look so happy. “Thanks. Nat insisted it would be a good choice.”

“It is.”

“So, what are you looking at?”

“This is the Antikythera mechanism.” He gestured to a partially eroded wooden box with a large central gear. “Considered by many the first computer. It’s believed to have tracked the pattern of the stars and moon through the zodiac and the four-year cycle of Olympic games. Historians believe it was created about 100 B.C.E. There were engravings of each astronomical event that the mechanism tracked. The calendar covered 235 months, and the complexity of the gears was not matched again, at least in Europe, until the fourteenth century C.E.” She was still smiling at him, but her expression was now tinged with mischief. Vision had gotten carried away, and his face burned. He imagined a teasing remark was at the tip of her tongue. “I apologize for going on. What news did you have?”

“It’s okay. You’re cute when you get all excited. I have some time.”

“Ah.” So he continued to narrate the history of the device and its discovery. Meanwhile, Wanda linked her arm through his, for all the world like they were just two people on a date. Vision knew it was an illusion, but he leaned into the act. He led Wanda through the exhibit, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Once they had traveled the whole section, Wanda took him to the exhibit on Mata Hari. She studied the room with equal passion. He had never known the full story of the woman beyond the scandalous name. Wanda was already well-versed on her life story. She was moved by the story of a woman who made her way in the world by acting provocatively and using seduction to learn the secrets of her adversaries. Whose government was only too willing to use her seduction skills, but refused to allow her a word in her defense. He listened to her narrate the story more infectiously than the dry story boards ever could.

They moved onto other areas. It was almost closing time by the time they finished exploring. They lingered on the steps outside for several moments before Wanda suggested that they go to a nearby restaurant for dinner. He thought to say no, but the idea of spending more time with her was too tempting.

She led him to a restaurant that had an intriguing mix of Peruvian and Chinese food. She suggested a few dishes, but he decided on something else. They shared a vegetarian meal for two. Vision found himself relaxing more and more as the evening wore on. They abandoned spycraft and settled on talking about anything and everything, their topics ranging from serious, philosophical discussion to teasing innuendo as she ran her foot lightly up his calf. Finally, they carefully split the bill and began walking toward the metro.

As they approached the station, Vision realized that he had still not heard the news Wanda had come to relay. Letting go of her hand, he faced her. They were just outside the metro station and about to part ways. “Wanda, what information did you have to pass onto me?”

She grinned as she took both his hands in hers. “Steve said he’s ready to tell you the whole story. About the Winter Soldier program. He wants to see you tomorrow.”

“I’d be happy to meet with you all, but I still do not know how to reach your hideout.”

“That’s what this is for.” She pulled a carefully folded piece of paper out of her pocket. “Here’s the directions to our place. Please destroy it after you’ve memorized it.”

Vision had a momentary thought that this was just the key he needed to catch them off guard. Old habits of thought died hard. But he discarded it as soon as it entered his mind. “This is a sign of great trust.” He turned the paper over in his hands. These people were not just criminals anymore; he almost dared to think that they might become his friends.

“Yeah, I know. It’s time. You could have turned us in a dozen times over by now, and you haven’t.”

“No.” His denial was firmer than his initial temptation to turn them in merited. But he renewed his determination to aid their cause and remind himself of his promise. “We have a deal.”

“So, we do.” Her smile lit up her whole face once again, and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. This was the last thing Vision expected, but he eagerly returned it, gripping her hands more tightly and letting his mouth move with hers. When she pulled away, they were both a tad breathless.

Wanda didn’t react to this new stage of their flirtation, though. She started to walk toward the stairs when he pulled her back to him. A new question occurred to him that he had to ask. She did not bother to hide her surprise. “Wanda, couldn’t this information have been relayed by a telephone call?”

“Yeah.” Vision did not miss her blush in the fading daylight.

“Were you thinking of an excuse to see me?” He felt much less certain of the answer as soon as the words were out of his mouth, but it was too late now.

Wanda regained her composure and her smirk. “Do you want that to be the case?” She didn’t give him time to answer. “I wasn’t lying about wanting to keep up my espionage skills.”

“Oh, of course.” He desperately tried to hide his immediate frown. Of course, that was the case. Of course, this was just a game and a release of some sexual tension. He should not think of it as anything more.

A brief squeeze of his forearm brought his attention back to her. Wanda’s expression had softened. She stared into his eyes, a new sincerity entering her voice. “But you’re not completely wrong.” She turned away and was running toward the metro before he could react.

Vision stared after her for a long while.

***

When Vision arrived at the warehouse the next evening, a door was open. He pulled his car inside. Wanda was waiting for him. She activated a button as soon as his car was fully inside and shut the door behind him.

“Hi there.”

“Hello.”

“You didn’t call me last night.” Her pout was playful and over-exaggerated, but Vision almost thought he saw a little real hurt in her eyes. “I thought kissing you was a clear enough signal of my intentions. And we have had fun before, haven’t we?”

“Yes, we have.” He was glad they were of the same mind on that point. “I apologize, but we were due to see each other today.”

Wanda grinned at him. “Maybe that wasn’t soon enough for me.” Vision felt his mouth fall open. Part of him doubted whether she really felt that way or was only trying to keep him allied with them or relieve boredom. But he was drawn in by her teasing every time.

His questions were pushed from his mind when Wanda leaned up to kiss him. He put his hands on her hips and forgot where he was. He gave his full attention to her lips and tongue. She broke away far too soon. “Come on, Vizh. We should get going.”

“Yes, of course.” She pulled him inside, only letting go of his hand when they came into view of the others.

Steve got down to business straight away. “So, Wanda told me that you suspected I was hiding something, and I was. I know that the Winter Soldier program exists because my best friends were captured by it.”

Something that had been nagging Vision at the back of his mind clicked into place. “You were in Unit 623.” He was starting to doubt his spy skills if it took him that long to realize what seemed obvious now.

Steve nodded gravely. “I was in the army, proud to be serving my country. I joined with Bucky, who’s been my best friend since I was a kid. We met Sam when we got sent to basic training.” He paused, a look of reminiscence on his face. Both Wanda and Natasha were silent.

“As you said, the three of us were in the same unit. You can’t help but get close in the kind of places we were. When we were almost due to be done with our tour, Bucky and Sam were sent on a mission with some others. It was a bigger mission than we usually ran, but I was left behind.” Vision had a feeling he knew where this story was headed, and he mourned for the pain in Steve’s eyes.

“The official story was that they were hit by an IED. No survivors. The Army discharged me and let me go back with the coffins. All the dead were given a full military funeral, but something felt wrong to me. I started looking into things and found compelling evidence that there never was an attack. Bucky, Sam, and the others just vanished.”

“But how did you come to be on the run? You committed no crimes.”

Steve let out a mirthless huff of laughter. “I asked the wrong people the wrong questions. Someone realized I was getting too close to the truth. They framed me for the murder of a civilian in the field. I knew they would come for me if I went to prison, so I ran.”

“The system failed you, so you took it into your own hands.”

“Exactly.” Wanda and Natasha were wearing matching glares into the middle distance. Vision imagined that they had similar stories. He wanted to ask them, but they showed no signs of saying anything.

Steve glanced around at his teammates and changed the subject. “Who wants to play some poker?”

Natasha jumped up and retrieved some cards. “Oh, I’ll happily clean everybody out.”

She lived up to her promise by the end of the night.

***

Vision also called in a few favors to get another agent, who was not closely connected to him, to request some of Pierce’s older case files. Not all of them were so carefully controlled, but one thing almost all had in common was mysterious disappearances, deaths where the bodies were never found. He supposed that is where certain rumors arose. But they were spread out enough over the years and different enough in the victims and MOs to not raise true suspicion. It helped that Pierce was considered untouchable.

Several days later, he took the files with him to the warehouse, so that the Avengers could copy everything. They were all relaxing in front of an old cathode ray TV. An antenna sat on top of the device. Wanda smiled at him when he entered, but the others did not react. “I obtained some more of Pierce’s files if you would like to copy the information.”

Natasha glanced at him. “We do. We’ll take a look at them tomorrow. We’ve been hard at work all day.” He supposed that, like him, the Avengers must still be working other jobs on the side. He was not sure if he wanted to know what they were.

“That’s fine, I’ll just-.”

“Do you want to join us, Vizh?”

Vision was a bit taken aback by Wanda’s offer. He had spent some time chatting after concluding business over the past weeks, but he had never joined them purely for leisure. “If you don’t mind.”

Steve and Natasha shrugged. She asked, “Did you close the garage door behind you?”

“Yes.”

“Then make yourself at home.” Wanda patted the seat next to her. Vision sat and placed the file on the makeshift coffee table in front of him. He gradually relaxed more as the night wore on. He laughed with them and groaned with them at the antics on the weekly sitcoms. None of them were tremendously fond of the shows on offer, but this way kept them a little more off the grid and under the radar.

When they started to head to their own rooms, Wanda said that it was her turn to lock up, and she led Vision back to the garage. He started to say goodbye, but Wanda pressed him back against the car, pulling him into a deep kiss. He lifted her up to align their faces more evenly and gave the kiss everything he had. The sounds of her slight moans and feeling of her legs around his waist intoxicated him.

Wanda pulled away slowly, giving him several more small pecks as she disengaged her lips from his. He tried to chase her mouth, but she only laughed and pulled back more. “You’re really good at that.”

“Thank you. So are you.” He had difficulty doubting her intentions when she kissed him like that, when she was flushed and panting in the wake of their makeout session.

She kept her hands on his shoulders. He could not resist leaning into nuzzle her neck and catch more of her heady scent. He pressed his lips against her pulse point and let himself taste her, just a bit. She sighed as she tilted her head to allow him access to the rest of her neck. He traced the lines of her throat.

Eventually Wanda grew impatient and nudged his face back to hers. They kissed for several more minutes. “Vizh, this has been fun, but I really need to close up now.” He lowered her to her feet, brushing one more quick kiss against her cheek.

“I will be in touch soon. Good night, Wanda.”

“Good night, Vizh.” She waved at him as he drove away. He spent the entirety of the drive back to his apartment replaying her reactions to his touch. Once he was getting ready for bed, he debated calling her. Part of him told himself that he was getting in too deep and needed to cool things down between them.

The other part of him was in control when he placed the call. “Vizh? What’s up?”

“Hello again, Miss Maximoff. I have a proposition for you…”

***

Vision and the Avengers traced the common threads among the older cases and Unit 623 for weeks. Vision spent those weeks simply going through the motions. Every day he went to work as if nothing was amiss. He exchanged a few perfunctory remarks in the breakroom. He did some research into his other cases. He tried to act as if he was still the dedicated agent that he had always been.

But his weekly meetings with the Avengers became daily meetings.

Every night he joined them he truly came alive. The hours he spent researching these cases with Wanda, Natasha, and Steve made him feel more useful than he had in years. And they did more than study. They laughed together. He got to know them. By the end of the fourth month, he knew that, even if their arrangement fell apart, he could never turn any of them in. They did not deserve to be locked up.

The best part of every night was when Wanda walked him to his car. He did not know what the others thought about this habit, but he could hardly care. When these daily visits started, she had given him a kiss on the cheek. It was a sweet, chaste gesture given their other interactions. The next time Vision had taken the initiative to cup her face in his hands and kiss her deeply. She wrapped her arms around his neck and anchored him to her. They stayed like that for some time. Once she stole his keys and pushed him down on the back seat, rocking her hips against his. He raked his fingers through her hair to pull her head down to his. She groaned into his mouth and he tried not to be too smug.

The next day, Vision’s work was proceeding as slowly as usual when his phone rang. “Agent Shade speaking.”

“Hello, Vision.”

“T’Challa, it has been too long. How are you?” He always appreciated talking with T’Challa for more than the help and advice they would sometimes give with their cases. They had met during a case years earlier and ever since then, Vision liked his calm demeanor. They had a similar methodology and beliefs. Vision was one of the few who knew that T’Challa was next in line for the Wakandan throne. The country had only opened up to the world a few years previously and had done an excellent job of keeping its royal family hidden.

“I am well. Have you had any luck with your case since Nairobi?”

“I have a few leads, but I would wish to be closer to finding them.” Vision trusted T’Challa, but he was not prepared to admit to aiding and abetting international fugitives.

“I am sure you will succeed.”

“Thank you, but I imagine that there was another purpose to your call.”

“Yes, I would like to ask a favor. You know Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, correct?”

“Yes, I do. They’re old friends of mine.” They had gone to college together. Vision had tried to convince them to go into the Academy with him, but they had pursued other interests and gone on to be hugely successful in their respective fields. “Why do you ask?”

“My sister, Shuri, I’m sure you remember her.” Vision was unlikely to forget. She was the most relentlessly curious, intelligent, and humorous young woman that he had ever met. “She is always expanding her research programs, and she has long wanted to talk to both Stark and Banner. Do you think you could introduce her?”

“Yes, I would be happy to.” Both his friends had few people with whom they could talk shop at their high level. He imagined they would be happy to speak to the young genius.

“Thank you very much, Vision. Good luck on your case until I next hear from you.”

“You are welcome. Give Shuri and your family my best.”

When the call ended, Vision returned to his daily life. Speaking to his friends always reminded him how little connection he really had to the rest of SHIELD. He was alone here. He did good work, but it was only a job. He consoled himself with the thought that he would see the Avengers again later that night.

***

The next night Vision spent hours poring over the records of another early case that Pierce had closed. They had yet to find a piece of truly damning evidence. They must be missing something. Maybe that’s why Pierce did not keep such careful control of these files. If he already doctored them to hide his wrongdoings, there would be no threat in someone looking into his old cases.

Vision shook his head. He was nearing the end of his rope. He did not want to make careless errors due to tiredness.

He had just settled in bed when his window opened, and Wanda climbed in. “Wanda, what are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry. I should have called first.”

Vision turned on a light. Her appearance shocked him. He had never seen her anything less than fully composed, even when he had her cornered in handcuffs. Now, tears flowed down her face, her hair was bedraggled, and she was wearing loose, threadbare athletic clothes. “No, that’s all right. Are you hurt?”

She shook her head. Looking more uncertain than he had ever seen her, she remained standing by the open window. Vision climbed out of bed and closed the window. He tentatively placed his hands on her shoulders. He was captivated once again by the smooth skin of her collarbone, but he did not go any farther. Intimacy was clearly the last thing on her mind tonight.

“Would you like to come to bed?” She nodded. He helped lead her to the bed, situating her under the covers. Then, he walked around to the other side and climbed in beside her. She immediately cuddled up to him, and he wrapped his arms around her.

She remained so quiet that Vision almost thought she had fallen asleep, but then she spoke. “Do you want to hear about how I joined the Avengers?”

“If you would like to tell me.”

“I had a brother. A twin. We were working at a party on Embassy Row one night. We were serving them drinks and hors d’oeuvres, and all the big shots barely looked at us. It was about three in the morning when we finished cleaning up. We were walking to the metro station when a car comes out of nowhere.”

Wanda muffled a sob against his shirt. He rubbed her back and she continued, “We tried to dodge out of the way, but the car jumped the sidewalk. My brother pushed me out of the way instead of thinking of himself. The car hit him dead on. I still see it so clearly in my dreams. I don’t remember much of the rest of the night. The paramedics told me I was in shock. But the thing I did remember was that one of the ambassadors was stumbling drunk. He didn’t even realize what had happened. He got out of the car with his college-age ‘girlfriend’ and promptly passed out; he couldn’t have been younger than sixty. We waited for the police and ambulance to come. I tried to tell the girl to go to the police, but she was terrified. She made a phone call and an older woman picked her up before anyone else could get there. Do you know how much jail time that bastard got?” Her volume had increased as she recounted her tale, and now she was almost shouting. Her tears had dried and she was practically ready to climb out of the bed.

Vision winced. “My guess would be nothing.”

“That’s right. He killed my brother! And nothing! I tried to go to the embassy, and the police, and the state department. Nothing! Then, I realized that girl had the right idea. People like us couldn’t rely on the authorities. I started trying to take matters into my own hands. Steve and Nat found me before I could really screw something up and taught me how to go on.” Wanda was shaking.

“I believe I understand better why you have chosen this path.”

Wanda looked at him skeptically. “You’re not going to say, ‘I’m sorry for your loss’?”

“I was not. I can if you would like me to, but I believe that goes without saying. Anyone would feel sorrow for your situation.” He did not even know how to put his grief for her loss into words.

“That was actually the best response I could have hoped for. I was just surprised.”

“I am glad that I could offer you something.” He reached for her again, and she fell into his arms, worn out by her outpouring of emotion. “Do you need anything? Could I get you a drink or a snack?”

“No. Could I just stay here please?”

“Of course.” Vision reclined further and carried Wanda with him. He pulled the covers up around them. Her breathing deepened and evened almost immediately. Vision stayed awake for a long time, thinking about her pain and how much her happiness was coming to mean to him.

Vision awoke the next morning with a pleasant warmth wriggling in his arms. It took him a moment to remember that Wanda had come to him the night before. But then he looked into her sleeping face. She seemed so peaceful. He shamelessly gazed at her, even daring to trace a fingertip down her cheek.

He did not intend to wake her, but she was not as soundly asleep as she looked. When she opened her eyes, she was wearing the softest expression he had ever seen on her face. He smiled back at her as he wove a hand into her hair.

Instantly, her expression transformed into her usual mischievous smirk. Wanda pointedly looked down, and Vision flushed under her scrutiny. “You’re happy to see me this morning.”

“It is simply a naturally occurring phenomenon that frequently happens to those with penises.”

“Oh?” She did not look convinced. “So, you’re not happy to see me?”

“I did not say that.” Indeed, he was fighting the urge to draw her close and kiss her breath away. She did seem recovered from the previous night. “I am pleased that you are here, in my bed.”

“Me too.” She studied him more intently. “Would you be pleased if I got on top of you right now and stuck my tongue down your throat?”

Vision choked a bit at her phrasing, but it was characteristically blunt. He could not think of anything he wanted more. “Absolutely.”

She grinned as she straddled his hips. She wasted no time moving against him, leaning over him and panting against his mouth. Vision in turn placed his hands on her back and urged her closer. He shifted enough to press his erection more firmly against her. She moaned loudly, retaliating with the promised kiss. Her tongue parted his lips immediately. He welcomed her in, glad to be kissing her once more.

His hands began to slip under her shirt, tracing the smooth skin above the waistband of her pants. He was about to pull away to ask if he could remove it entirely when both their phones rang in unison. “Shit!” Wanda reached into her pocket for her phone while Vision reached over to the nightstand. “It’s Nat.” She walked over to the window and answered it.

Vision hurried to the other room to answer his own call. When he returned to the bedroom, Wanda was just hanging up. “Sorry. I’ve got to go.”

“So do I. That was Ross.”

She pulled him closer for just a moment. Her lips brushed against his. “Sorry again that I have to go. I was going to let you get to at least second or third base.”

It took him a few seconds to process that and clear his mind. “I must thank you, Wanda, for ruining my productivity for the entire day.” He grinned at her, attempting to display a hint of her carefree attitude, to show that he did not mind.

She giggled. “Don’t worry. I ruined mine, too.”

“That is good to hear.” She began climbing back out the window. “You can use the door if you’d like.”

“What would be the fun in that?”

Just as her head was reaching the edge of the window, he leaned in and gave a parting word. “Perhaps it will help if we _talk_ tonight.” He added an exaggerated waggle of his eyebrows just to be sure she understood his message.

Wanda paused, glancing up at him. “Now you’re speaking my language. I’ll call you at the usual time.” She raised one hand to wave at him, giving him quite a start. He was nearly overwhelmed at the thought that she might fall. But she remained sure-footed as she climbed down the wall. As soon as she was safely on the ground, Vision turned to the task of responding to Ross’s call.

***

Vision arrived at the warehouse to see Natasha looking over the files they had accumulated. She was leaned over the table, and something about her pose triggered his memory again. “You used to work with SHIELD. You gave a lecture while I was at the Academy.” At the time her hair had been brunette, and she had gone by Allison Novak. But he knew he was correct.

Natasha straightened. Her expression became more animated than her usual air of partial aloofness. “I was wondering if you recognized me. You seemed to look at me strangely sometimes.”

“Yes, I did.” He had to work to fit this new piece of information with his previous paradigm of the world. “Why did you leave?”

“My mentor, you probably heard the lies about him, Nick Fury, and my best friend, Clint, got a little too close to some of SHIELD’s secrets. They killed them. Raked their names through the mud. They were the best of SHIELD, but Pierce and Ross turned them into traitors. I couldn’t stay after that.”

“I could not imagine staying after that either.”

“I found Steve by chance, and the rest is history.”

Now that he knew all their stories, he understood how they operated much better. He was so distracted by his thoughts that he was taken aback when Natasha grabbed his hand. “Come on, talking about that always makes me want some sparring practice. Steve and Wanda are already practicing. Since you’re here, I have my own partner.”

She pulled him to another room where some mats were set up. Wanda and Steve were circling each other, hands held up in defensive positions. She glanced up when she heard their footsteps and smiled in greeting until Steve pushed her back and she was forced to give him her full attention again.

Meanwhile, Natasha tossed him some gloves. “I hope you’re not one of those men who won’t hit, or try to hit, a woman.”

“No, ma’am. Some of my first instructors at the Academy broke me of that habit.”

“Good. Now hands up.” Vision complied. He should have known better than to expect any further warning, but he was still caught off guard when Natasha kicked out at him. He managed to dodge her but was unbalanced. They had not even gone over the rules of their combat, though he supposed there were none. He aimed a blow toward her side, but she danced away from him easily.

After an indeterminable amount of sparring, with the sweat pouring down both their faces, Natasha called a halt. Steve and Wanda were currently taking a break as well. Wanda offered Vision her water bottle, and he accepted it gladly. Natasha looked over at them with a wicked glint in her eye. “Let’s switch. I’ll partner Steve, and Vision and Wanda can be together.” They all agreed.

Vision faced off with Wanda. She grinned at him before settling into seriousness. Steve and Natasha started while Vision and Wanda were merely circling each other, sizing each other up. The world faded away as they waited for the other to make the first move.

Vision finally gave in, striking first. The blow glanced off Wanda’s shoulder. He was about to apologize instinctively when Wanda hit him back. They continued striking each other and dodging away from each other for some time. They were both breathing hard, and Vision grew distracted thinking about the other times he’d heard her breath speed up like that. Before he could counter, Wanda moved in close. He braced for a punch to the stomach, but instead she started tickling him.

He let out a surprised laugh as he tried to fend her off. She was relentless, and they ended up in a heap on the mat. Wanda looked up and around them, noting, “Nat and Steve walked a- Hey!” Vision had taken advantage of her own distraction to regain some dignity. He flipped them over so that she was caged beneath him. Her smug smirk did not dissipate. “I think I already won, so this doesn’t count.”

“Well, perhaps you would consider a draw.”

“I don’t know why I would do that when I already won.” She arched a brow at him. Her challenges never failed to provoke him to a bolder response. She made no move to get away, seeming quite content as she raised her hands to his shoulders.

So, Vision leaned down to kiss her. She responded immediately. Her lips were soft against his. Time slipped away as he wound one hand into her hair and settled more fully on top of her. She pulled away just enough to snatch a breath of air, and Vision started kissing her jawline. Wanda wrapped her legs around his waist in turn.

She slid her hands down his back to squeeze his buttocks. “Wanda,” he groaned into her neck. Using her legs and hands to press him closer, Wanda dipped her head to kiss his neck. Vision ran his free hand along her calf, hoping to keep her there as long as possible.

Then, they were interrupted once again by an alarm on Wanda’s watch. She slowly pulled away from him and moved to disentangle herself from him. Vision reluctantly sat up, trying to hide his disappointment. He did not do a very good job because she gazed at him apologetically and patted his cheek. “I would invite you to stay for dinner and pick up where we left off later, but we have other plans tonight.”

“Of course.” He stood and tried to think of anything that wasn’t the press of their bodies together. He was still affected by their kisses. For once, Wanda did not comment on it when he helped her to her feet.

“I am free tomorrow night. I’ll give you a call when you get home after your usual research session.”

“I look forward to it.” He leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

She took his hand, grinning up at him. “And I still have a little time to walk you to your car and give you something to think about tonight.” Vision followed her, hoping that Natasha and Steve would be distracted by making dinner.

***

Vision and the Avengers finally made it through every box of the files that Pierce had given him. On their final pass through the originals before Vision was to return the boxes, Wanda made a lucky find. There was a picture trapped between two sheets of paper that fell into her lap. It showed a much younger Pierce and Ross standing in a room full of soldiers strapped to tables and full of tubes. Alone, it was not enough to bring down Ross and Pierce, but Natasha locked it carefully away. It would be tremendously helpful if they could obtain more unassailable evidence.

The next week Vision had yet another meeting with Pierce. He returned the boxes containing the files that the Avengers had already copied. Pierce raised an eyebrow at him. It was an intimidating look on his craggy face. In fact, it would have been intimidating a few months ago, but Vision found himself disdainful of Pierce’s air of authority. “Well?”

Vision adopted an expression of abject apology. “I was mistaken, sir. I found nothing that would lead me to the Avengers.”

“I thought so. Any other news to report?” He had already turned most of his attention to ensuring that every box was present.

“No, sir.”

“Very well. Dismissed.” Vision rose to leave when Pierce looked up once more and fixed him with hard stare. “Just remember, Shade. You have four weeks.”

“Yes, sir. I will redouble my efforts.”

“See that you do.”

Vision retreated before Pierce could think of something else.

***

Vision returned home one night to find his front door unlocked. He was certain that he had locked it that morning. He always double and triple checked. Carefully pulling out his service gun, he eased the door open. He moved methodically through each room, but his apartment was empty.

When he reached his bedroom, he noted that his normally immaculate covers were slightly disheveled. Then, he caught it. That scent. He would recognize it anywhere. Wanda had been here, but he had no idea why.

Now certain that there was no threat around, he carefully stored his gun in its case and changed into more comfortable clothes. It was only when he walked into the bathroom that he noticed an envelope on the counter. It contained a number of polaroid pictures.

The first photo was tame enough. Wanda was wearing a short black skirt and a deep blue satin bustier. Still, Vision’s throat went dry. The next one showed her lying back on his bed. She had discarded the skirt and was wearing only the bustier and matching panties. She was leveling a challenging stare at the camera, lying in an artful pose. Vision was eager to find out what was next.

He carefully moved the picture to the back of the pile. He licked his lips at the next image. Wanda had removed her panties and spread her legs. Vision wanted to devour her. His hands were shaking slightly when he turned to the next picture. In it, she was completely nude. He allowed his eyes to travel every curve she exposed to him. In the next one, she was turned away from him on her hands and knees, back arched sinuously and the focus on her lovely posterior. He flipped through the rest of the poses, each more acrobatic than the last, before starting from the beginning again.

He scrubbed a hand over his face. This woman was going to be the death of him.

***

Vision stood outside the warehouse that acted as the Avengers’ hideout. Staring up at the window above him, he hoped he had made the correct deduction. He was almost certain that this was Wanda’s room. He did not want to accidentally wake Steve or Natasha.

But if he trusted anything, he trusted his finely-honed skills. So, he began climbing up the building. Luckily, the brick gave him sufficient handholds to ease the climb, and his fitness requirements made him strong enough to complete the task easily. He paused at the windowsill to see Wanda playing her guitar.

She looked up when he entered the room. Any surprise she may have felt was quickly hidden by her habitual smirk. “I don’t believe we were expecting you, Vision.”

“No, but I thought after your last unannounced visit, it was my turn.”

“Did you enjoy the pictures?”

Vision praised all his years of his training for hiding his initial response. “I was intrigued by your camera work,” He said matter-of-factly. “I was not sure how you captured some of those shots.” He kept his face carefully neutral, allowing only a hint of academic curiosity to slip through.

Wanda’s mouth dropped open in something like real shock. “That’s all you have to say?”

“Turnabout is fair play.” He let his mask fall away entirely. Her expression upon realizing his trick was torn between admiration and annoyance (he gathered more at herself than at him). “I enjoyed them very much. Thank you.” She started to set her guitar aside. “Wait. May I please listen?” She looked down, studying the instrument in her hands. When she looked up again, she was smiling, and she nodded. She patted the spot beside her on the bed.

She started off with an upbeat ditty that made him want to dance. She followed up with several more before melting into a haunting melody. It spoke of loss and pain, loved ones long gone and inevitable change. Then, it shifted, and it breathed of warm nights by the fire and safety in a lover’s arms.

When she played the final chord, she turned her attention to him, a glimpse of the uncertainty of the other night that played around her mouth and eyes. “That was beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with me.”

“You’re welcome.” Anxiety overcame him. He did not know what to do. With the music over, he started to move from the bed, but Wanda’s hand on his wrist stopped him. She was staring at him quizzically. “You came all this way and figured out which room I sleep in, and you’re just leaving?”

“I…” In truth, Vision had not fully planned out what he imagined would happen. He had simply wanted to surprise Wanda, and to see her alone. But he supposed he should have developed a more in-depth plan. “Do you want me to stay?”

“Sure. If you want to.”

“Yes, that sounds lovely.”

“Good.” She put her guitar away in a case and returned to the bed. She lay back, beckoning him to join her. Vision reclined on his side, one hand propping up his chin so that he could study her properly.

She mirrored his pose. He reached for her with a hand on her waist. Wanda wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly. Vision drew her even closer, pressing his lips more insistently against hers.

He raised his hands to cradle her face. He traced his thumbs over her cheekbones. Relishing the softness of her skin, he let his hands slide lower. Vision hoped Wanda was enjoying this as much as he was based on the small sound she made in the back of her throat.

But she abruptly flopped backward next to him. She looked over at him, her face flushed. “Didn’t you say something about having an early morning tomorrow?”

Vision pulled away from her and fell back next to her. “Yes, I did.” He wished she had less concern for his career at this moment, but he was gratified that she had remembered a small detail from a conversation a few days earlier.

Wanda turned his face to hers. “I really am sorry that I keep doing this to you. I just-.” She closed her eyes. Vision was surprised by the amount of emotion in her face. “We’ve waited so long already. I wouldn’t want to cut anything short.”

He softly kissed her forehead. “That’s perfectly all right. When you put it like that.” Wanda smiled at him. They relaxed into the pillows and fell silent.

When Vision woke up, Wanda was gazing at him. She acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary, but her blush indicated her embarrassment. He was willing to play along with her and pretended that he hadn’t noticed. To distract him further, she kissed him once again. Vision gladly gave into her embrace as she settled into a lying position. Soon, his leg was hitched over hers and they were kissing in earnest.

“Hey, Wanda!” They froze. “Breakfast’s ready. Steve made waffles.”

Wanda called out, “Okay!”

She started to remove herself from his embrace, urging quiet with a finger against her lips. “Vision’s free to join us, too.” They could hear Natasha’s cackle fade away as she walked down the hall.

Vision groaned into Wanda’s shoulder. “You said she slept on the other side of the building. How did she know I was here?”

Wanda shrugged. “That’s Nat for you. Come on, then. Don’t you want to join us since she blew your cover already?”

“I would.” He kissed her briefly one more time before he let Wanda lead him downstairs to endure Natasha’s teasing.

***

One of Vision’s other cases came to a head. It forced him to focus on nothing else for a week. He did not realize how much he had truly come to rely on the Avengers until he had no time to spend with them. It was a relief when the operation was over and the criminals brought into SHIELD custody.

He spent that first day playing catch up on everything that had piled up the previous week. It was later than usual when he was able to head home. But there was only one place he wanted to be. After work Vision drove to the warehouse. Only Natasha was in the main room. She was leaning backward with only the two hind legs of her chair on the floor. “Hey, Vizh.”

“Hello, Natasha. Are the others here?”

She grinned impishly at him and brought her chair legs fully to the floor. “Do you mean is Wanda here?”

“I would prefer if both her and the captain were present. I would like to strategize on how to spend our remaining two weeks.”

Natasha’s face transformed into a pout. “Well, that was no fun. You didn’t even blush.”

“Fortunately for me, I am in full professional mode. Perhaps I shall oblige you another time.”

“Fine. I’ll go get them.”

Wanda came down first. She was wearing a genuinely delighted smile. “Hi. I missed you last week.” She gripped his lapels and leaned up to give him an all-too-brief kiss. “Are you here for business or pleasure?”

“I missed you as well, and it is business today.”

“Shame.”

“Perhaps there will be time for pleasure later.”

They heard footsteps coming and separated to an appropriate, collegial distance, though he was not sure why they bothered after being caught the other week. Her smile did promise that the possibility was still open. Steve shook Vision’s hand warmly. “Your other case is done?”

Vision nodded. “Yes, I can turn all my attention here.”

They began brainstorming their priorities. They made lists of every place that evidence might be hiding. They considered who they might talk to who would not betray them. Vision was mid-sentence when his phone rang. When he saw the caller ID, he put his finger to his lips and moved away from the others.

“Hello, T’Challa.”

“Good evening, Vision. I will not waste any time. There is a matter of utmost urgency that I must discuss with you. Three Americans broke into the palace yesterday. They were headed toward the vibranium mines when our security intercepted them. They are currently in holding cells. We would like to avoid an international incident if possible. But something feels very wrong here.”

“Why do you say that?”

“When we captured them, they became very distressed at not having completed their mission. We noticed them starting to move their mouths oddly. We removed the cyanide capsules before they could harm themselves. After that, they became catatonic. Our doctors are attending to them now.”

Vision was horrified by T’Challa’s description, but a sense of hope was rising within him as well. “T’Challa, would you be able to send pictures of the agents to my private email?”

“Of course, but what is happening? What do you advise?”

“Please, just give me a few minutes. I will call you right back.”

“As you will. I will send the pictures in a moment.”

Vision returned to the Avengers, who were all staring at him. “You remember T’Challa, the Wakandan agent I mentioned?” They all nodded. “I believe he intercepted agents from the Winter Soldier program.” They all tensed up, Steve in particular.

Vision retrieved his laptop. The pictures were there by the time he booted it up. One was a man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with a beard and long brown hair. There was also a blond woman and another man with short hair. He turned his computer, so that the others could see.

“Buck.” The word appeared to have left Steve’s lips involuntarily and his face went pale. Natasha squeezed his shoulder.

“This is your friend, correct?”

“Yeah,” Steve said shakily. “He’s told no one else about this?”

“No, I don’t believe so.”

“So what now?” Wanda asked.

“I must call T’Challa back.” He looked around at all three of their faces. “I would like you to talk to him as well. If you’ll agree to it. He’ll be on our side when I explain everything.”

They all accepted this. He called T’Challa. “Are you alone? There is something I must discuss with you that is of the utmost secrecy.” T’Challa agreed and Vision explained his research into the program of genetic enhancement. He waited until the very end of the story to reveal his involvement with the Avengers.

T’Challa was silent for a long moment when Vision finished his tale. Vision took a deep breath as he waited for an answer; he hoped he had not misjudged the situation. “How may I help? Under these circumstances, I cannot, in good conscience, return these Americans to their government.”

Vision smiled. “I am glad you asked. There is one more detail I have not mentioned. I am with the Avengers right now. One of them knows one of your prisoners.”

T’Challa did not reply immediately. “That is a surprise, but I suppose they are not quite the evil criminals that they are painted as.”

Vision couldn’t resist his eyes traveling to Wanda. “No, they are not.” Wanda smiled back at him, and Vision was hard-pressed to retain his focus. “Will you speak with them?”

“Yes.”

Vision put the call on speaker. Steve, Natasha, and Wanda all introduced themselves. Steve told T’Challa more about Bucky. They made plans to stay in touch. T’Challa promised to take care of them and do everything possible to bring them back to their right minds.

When they ended the call, Steve collapsed in a chair. His expression was unreadable. Vision could only imagine the mixture of emotions he was experiencing right now. Natasha clearly shared his concern because she urged Steve upstairs a few minutes later with only a brief good night to Wanda and Vision.

Wanda grinned at him when the others had left. “When did it become ‘our’ side?”

Vision was taken aback. In truth, he did not know when the full shift had occurred. At first, he was simply working with them to achieve a goal. Somehow, over the months, he felt that he had joined them completely. “I suppose when my first thought was what this news meant for you instead of my superiors.”

Wanda stepped closer to him and tentatively hugged him. “Could I confess something?” She looked up at him, that rare vulnerability shining through. Vision swallowed hard at the thought of what she might say, but he nodded. “I’ve thought of you on our side since it’s been weeks since I was afraid you would turn us in.” That was not exactly what he had been thinking, but he would take it.

“Never.” He returned her embrace, resting his cheek on top of her head. They simply held each for a long time after that.

***

When Vision approached the warehouse, he knew something was terribly wrong. There was an air of eerie silence around the building. He approached the main room that served as their living room. None of the Avengers were anywhere to be found. The room was in disarray, with chairs and the TV toppled and their carefully compiled documents spread across the floor.

Vision ran behind a spare piece of wall when he heard footsteps. He peeked just around the corner to see Ross and Pierce. Pierce’s voice was low and angry. “There’s nothing here. You were sure they had it.”

Ross did not take this complaint kindly. “You were the one who wanted to blow right in, instead of drawing them out.”

“Less chance for them to destroy evidence,” Pierce snapped back. Vision heard stomping and their voices grew fainter. “Well, it’s done now. We can shake it out of them one way or another.”

Their footsteps headed in the opposite direction from the way he normally entered. He waited long enough to make sure they had a head start and drove to the office as quickly as he could. He could practically hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

The drive to the office and the journey to his and Ross’s floor carried on interminably. The hubbub around every cubicle and doorway told him that the news of the Avengers’ capture had already reached SHIELD. When he arrived at Ross’s door, both Ross and Pierce were there. Vision took a deep breath to calm his nerves and keep his cover before knocking on the door.

Ross waved him in. “So, you’ve heard the news?”

“Yes, sir. This is fantastic. How did you manage the capture?”

“We got lucky with an anonymous tip.” The way he said it smirked at Pierce made Vision think that he was not being entirely truthful, but he had more pressing concerns. Vision tried to maintain calm. Neither Ross nor Pierce had showed any signs of suspecting him.

Ross took his utter silence as unhappiness. “Don’t be offended that we didn’t tell you. You weren’t getting results. But the director and I agreed that since you did not technically fail by the deadline, you can keep your job.”

It took all Vision’s years of training to simulate a suitably grateful tone. “Thank you, sir.”

“Just do better next time.”

“Yes, sir.” He needed to find out what happened to them. “May I make up for my lapses by helping with the interrogation? I believe I know which buttons to push to get them to open up more, after being on the case so long.”

Ross glanced at Pierce, who answered, “I don’t see why not. You can take the Maximoff woman.” Vision hid his face with a nod. “She’s in Interrogation Room Nine.”

“Thank you, sir. I will go right down. I just need to fetch something first.”

Vision hurried to his office. He reached into a hidden compartment in the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out a small EMP device that he and Tony had developed while in college. He had never had an opportunity where he felt compelled to use it, but this was the moment if ever there was one.

He slipped it into his pocket before walking over to the elevators. He traveled down to the interrogation floor, hands gripping the handrail tightly. When he reached room nine, he opened the door with a shaking hand.

His breath blew out in a sigh when he saw Wanda looking completely unharmed, annoyed but unharmed. She looked at him wide-eyed before bringing her expression back to a tight line. He pressed the button on the device and the camera showed the moment before he entered the room. “We now have about two minutes before the system resets and corrects itself.” Vision set a timer to remind himself. He was relieved to see a smile immediately break out on her face. Sitting down across from her, he reached for her cuffed hands. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah, they surprised us, had us surrounded before we could make a move. We surrendered quietly.”

“And Natasha and Steve?”

“They’re fine, too. Or they were when we were separated. What’s going on out there?”

“Everyone is celebrating heartily. I arrived at your place when Ross and Pierce were still there. They intend to get information out of you by any means necessary. But I won’t let that happen.”

“Vizh, thank you for the sentiment, but are you going to fight all of SHIELD to get us out?”

“I have worked out several different plans depending on various contingencies, many of which involve no fighting at all.”

He was warmed by the look of admiration on Wanda’s face. “I should have known.” She squeezed his hand back as much as she could. “I am glad you’re with us, but how exactly is that?”

“My first choice would be to get myself assigned to transport you and let you go, but I am doubtful that they will allow that. Failing that, there are several other options.”

Her brow furrowed. “But what happens to you after we escape? You’d definitely be persona non grata around here.”

“I had not thought that part through. I was more focused on ways to get you out.” He was prepared for whatever consequences might come his way. His friends’ safety was more important.

“Vizh.” She rubbed her thumb against the back of his hand. “You deserve to be thought of, too. I speak for everyone when I say we won’t let you do this if it ruins your life.”

“And I won’t see them hurt you.”

She shrugged. “We’re good at getting ourselves out of scrapes. We’ll be fine.”

He glanced at the timer. There were only seconds left. He wanted to argue further, but there was one more thing he needed to do if this was his last opportunity. He kissed her quickly. When he pulled back, he shut down all emotion. His mask of professionalism was his saving grace.

“I hope you change your mind about revealing your plans, Miss Maximoff.”

“Go to hell.” If Vision didn’t know Wanda well enough to recognize the tiny sparkle in her eyes, he would have been very convinced.

“If you have a change of heart, you may request me at any time.”

He walked out of the room and headed back to his office. A while later, Pierce and Ross entered without so much as a knock. “Did you have any luck?”

“Unfortunately, no. Miss Maximoff was very adamant.”

Ross shook his head in disgust. “I hope your skills return to you soon.”

Pierce added, “Heaven forbid there’s ever another pretty suspect Agent Shade has to track.” Vision bore their comments with his head down, forcing himself not to react.

Ross patted Vision on the shoulder, and he tried not to recoil. “Well, we all have our weaknesses. What can you do?”

“Thank you, sir.” The other men started to walk away. Vision had to risk one more remark. “What do you plan to do with the criminals now?”

“We’ll see how they like their accommodations tonight and try again in the morning.”

Vision did not sleep the entire night. There was no one to speak to, no one to call. Furthermore, the people who had become his closest friends were in danger. He did not believe Ross and Pierce were desperate enough to hurt them yet, but he had spent a night in those holding cells as part of his training. It was cold and uncomfortable.

He splashed cold water on his face and made himself an extra-large cup of coffee to maintain proper functioning. When he entered the office, it was in an even bigger uproar than the previous day. Snippets of conversation flowed past him, but he could not absorb it. His first thought was that the Avengers had escaped, but surely, they would have contacted him if that were the case.

When he came to Ross’s office, Vision was surprised to see him boxing up his office. “Sir, what is happening?”

“Ah, Vision. Glad you’re here. I hope you’re still feeling grateful from yesterday.”

“Of course, sir.” He believed that playing along was his best opportunity to learn more.

“Good, good. I hope to have you on my side going forward.”

“Going forward where, sir? There seems to be a significant amount of activity right now, but I have not yet determined the source.”

“Ah. We learned some sad news.” Ross looked the exact opposite of sad. “It turns out that Director Pierce has been running an unauthorized program of enhancing soldiers for years. We were shocked to learn that the Winter Soldier program is in fact real.” Vision feigned shock, his mind working desperately to keep up with the situation.

So, Ross had turned on Pierce. It seemed that there was no honor among corrupt government bureaucrats. “That’s incredible. How long has this been going on?”

“Since the seventies. It turns out that he has killed a number of our own people who pursued the case. A great shame.” Ross did a better job of pretending to be sorry for the losses. “I feel like quite a failure. I was as close to Pierce as it was possible for a few old spies to be, and I had no idea. No one did. I only hope I can remedy it as the new Director of SHIELD.”

He supposed the higher-ups were growing concerned. Pierce made a convenient scapegoat, and with Ross still in charge, everything could continue without a break. Ross would be indebted to them for his new position, and he sought to have Vision take his place with the same sort of debt obliging him to Ross. At least, he could use all this to his advantage. “I am sure you will do very well, sir.”

“Thank you, and I want you to take over my old post.”

“Thank you, sir. I would be honored.” He nearly choked on his words, but this was his best chance to access the others.

“I have some packing to do. You should work on packing up your office as well.”

“Will do, sir.” Vision took the opportunity to escape. He was already dialing T’Challa’s personal number when he entered his office.

“Have you heard the news?”

“Yes. And I congratulate you on your rise.” Vision appreciated T’Challa’s dry tone.

“Yes, my rise as the next convenient sacrifice.”

“Well, I just happen to be coming to your country this evening. I have a surprise lead that I need to attend to. We will talk then.”

Bless T’Challa for recognizing the need for back up. “Why, thank you. I look forward to seeing you in person, old friend.”

“As do I. Forgive me, I have much to prepare.”

“Yes, until then.” Vision ended the call, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders.

The rest of the day passed with many congratulations. Some no doubt angling for a good word to a subsequent promotion. In his spare time, he could hardly do a thing for worrying about Wanda and the others. Just as he was about to head out to meet T’Challa, Ross came to his door. He prepared an excuse to get out of whatever Ross might request, but his next words stopped Vision in his tracks.

“Vision, I need help with a new project. It’s urgent.” Ross’s eyes were burning behind his usually composed face.

He composed a carefully respectful reply. “Of course, sir. What do you need?”

“Come with me.” Ross led Vision to a standard-issue SHIELD prisoner transport. Vision sent a quick text to T’Challa, hoping he got the message. Vision climbed into passenger side. He looked behind him and saw that behind the thick screen, all three Avengers were strapped into the back. At least they all still appeared unharmed. He kept his face neutral as he held his phone down by his side and pressed a few buttons to record.

“I did not realize the criminals were scheduled to be moved.”

Ross flashed him a scimitar grin. “Perks of the new job.” Vision felt chills run down his spine. “And I hope you understand the trust I’m putting in you. I want you to be my right-hand man in this new order.”

“Yes, sir. I appreciate that.”

“Good. You always were faithful to the job.”

“What are your plans?”

“That will have to wait until we reach the secure location that we’re headed to.” He spent the rest of the trip fantasizing about how he would finally be appreciated, no longer in Pierce’s shadow. Vision let him talk, merely making the occasional agreeable sounds.

Eventually they reached a nondescript building. Ross pulled around to the back and pressed a button to open a garage door. When he pulled inside, they got out. Ross opened the back of the truck. He unhooked and dragged Wanda, Natasha, and Steve out without ceremony. Vision had to stop himself from righting Wanda when she stumbled slightly due to her bound hands.

Ross retrieved a gun, gesturing toward the three captives. “Let’s get going, you three.” They complied, Steve leading the way, followed by Natasha and then Wanda. Vision took up the rear position. Ross gestured the Avengers into the building ahead of him and held out his hand to Vision. “Phone. One can never be too careful.” Vision quickly turned off his phone and tried not to react. If he played his part well, Ross would give it back to him when they were finished here with no harm done.

Ross resumed his spot in the front. When he reached some elevator doors, they waited in silence. The ding announcing the arrival of the car took a suspiciously long time. They all entered and rode down ten floors.

As they exited, Ross pushed Steve ahead of them. They left a narrow hallway and entered a room that must cover the whole building. The cavernous space was empty except for a chair in the middle of the room. As they drew closer, Vision could see it had straps on the arms and legs to hold an occupant.

A head piece stood above the chair, and there was a console with numerous buttons beside it. Ross grabbed Steve’s arm, dragging him toward it. Vision hesitated for just a moment when he thought of something. “Sir, what is going on?”

“I am going to do a little demonstration.” He had started strapping Steve into the chair, but he could not get too close with Steve kicking and resisting with all his might.

“I don’t understand.”

“Come here and help me hold him and I’ll explain.” Vision moved forward. Steve continued to thrash around, but he gave Vision the barest nod while Ross was fiddling with some buttons on a nearby console.

“I lied to you back at the office. It was unfortunate, but it had to be done until I knew you were with me all the way.” Vision simulated a reasonable fight scene with Steve as Ross turned to him. “You’ve proved your loyalty today.” Vision was grateful for the need to focus on pretending to subdue Steve, else he would have been distressed by Ross’s comment. He continued, turning back to his buttons. “The truth is: we are creating enhanced soldiers. We started the rumors with the help of some suspicious characters to ensure that it remained an urban legend that no one questioned.”

“That’s amazing, sir! I had no idea that kind of science was available.”

“That’s good. We want to make sure none of our allies or enemies know about it either. Once the soldiers are field-ready, they never make a mistake. That’s how we really cracked the case of ‘the Avengers.’ One of our men was able to follow them and investigate their hideout. These three will be just as pliable once they’re on our side.” Ross kept expounding on the program and the need for secrecy when Vision noticed a key hanging from Ross’s belt loop. He drew Steve’s attention there and mimed strapping his legs in. Steve complied and Vision finished the job, leaving his hands in hand cuffs.

“His legs are strapped in, sir. Do his arms need to be tied to the chair arms?” Vision held his breath. He hoped he wasn’t displaying too much eagerness.

Ross looked over at Steve and smiled. “Excellent.” He removed the key from the belt loop. Vision did not reach for it, instead waiting for Ross to hand it over. “Just be careful when you’re freeing him.”

“Yes, of course, sir.” Ross extended his hand, and Vision took the key. Now, they only needed a distraction. He looked over to Natasha and Wanda. They were standing close together, trying to surreptitiously help each other out of their bindings. Vision could see that they were not having any luck.

Vision needed more time. He dropped the key. The metallic clang echoed in the enormous empty space. Ross frowned at him. “Apologies, sir. This is just all a lot to take in.” He turned back to the console and picked up a vial from the inner compartment.

As Vision stood up, he caught Wanda’s eye. She was watching him intently, and he mouthed, “Run!”

She whispered quickly in Natasha’s ear, and they both sprinted toward the corridor with the elevators, as much as they could with hands bound. Ross looked up immediately, “Shit! Stay with him.” He started running after the two women. Fortunately, he had forgotten his gun.

Vision retrieved it and set to uncuffing Steve and freeing him from the chair. Once Steve was free, he handed him Ross’s gun and removed his own service weapon. They set off in the direction they had gone just as Ross was coming back, dragging Natasha and Wanda none-too-gently with him.

Ross seemed genuinely shocked when he saw both Steve and Vision pointing their weapons at him. “Betrayal, Vision? From _you_?”

“Yes, now let them go.” Steve and Vision continued to approach them. “We won’t let you do this to anyone else.”

Ross sighed. “Very well.” He gave Natasha and Wanda a hard shove to the floor. Vision and Steve’s first instinct was to go to their friends, but they both shouted at them to go after Ross.

They just missed him getting in a secret elevator compartment that was concealed next to the ones they had traveled down in. “You’re a little too late, I’m afraid.” With that he pressed a button and the door closed in front of him. Meanwhile, a small boom was heard and smoke poured out of the main elevators.

Steve and Vision headed back to the others. Natasha and Wanda had managed to sit up. Steve said, “Help them. I’ll look for stairs.”

Vision freed Wanda, suppressing the desire to check her for more injuries and embrace her. Then, he turned to Natasha. She shrugged him off after he uncuffed her.

Wanda walked up to him and squeezed his hand. Natasha clapped her hands, “Okay, you two, let’s work on getting out of here.” Natasha walked the opposite way that Steve had gone to cover more ground. Vision and Wanda walked straight ahead. Soon, they heard Steve calling to them. They moved toward his voice.

But it was not just Steve. T’Challa was with him. “You are a welcome sight, T’Challa.”

“I can only imagine. My people have heard chatter that you are an evil mastermind.”

“So I have heard as well.”

“Come, then. They will be here soon, and things will be much more difficult to explain. You all are welcome in Wakanda for a time.”

The Avengers looked at one another and nodded. They all hurried up the stairs to T’Challa’s waiting jet. They rose into the air just as four SHIELD tactical vehicles were coming into sight. No one fully relaxed until they were out of American airspace.

Vision finally convinced Wanda to let him tend to her injuries. She had no more than a few minor scrapes and bruises, but he didn’t like to see her bleeding. T’Challa handed him a first aid kit. Seeing this, Natasha allowed Steve to tend to her as well. When they had finished, Wanda settled against Vision’s shoulder. He smiled at her gesture of trust and reliance. He was happy to watch over her as she slept.

When they were almost to Wakanda, T’Challa prompted them awake. He admitted his true identity to the Avengers. They took the information in stride; nothing fazed them. “My parents are offering you their hospitality at the palace. Guest rooms have already been prepared for you.”

“Do they know who we are?” Wanda asked softly.

“Of course.” T’Challa inclined his head at her. “They also know that the truth is far more complicated than the current news indicates.” Wanda smiled a bit, obviously relieved.

They landed in front of the palace. T’Challa’s guards watched them carefully, but said nothing. T’Challa led them to their rooms. “Good night. We will all speak more in the morning. And I will introduce you to those whom we intercepted. My sister is working to heal them. Sleep well until then.” They all said their farewells and entered their rooms.

Not ten minutes later Vision’s door creaked open and shut. Wanda padded toward the bed and climbed in next to him. “Hey, Vizh.”

“Is something wrong?”

“No, I just wanted to see if you were okay. I’m used to being on the run, but you’ve just left everything behind for the first time.”

He sighed, winding his arms more tightly around her and resting his head against hers. “I think- I think my change in circumstances has not fully sunk in yet. I may need some time to get used to this new state of affairs.”

“I’ll be here if you want to talk.” Her voice whispered against his skin.

“Thank you.” He thought for a few moments before he began to ask a question, only to notice that she was already sound asleep. He smiled to himself. His query could wait until morning. Soon even he drifted off.

Vision was awoken by pale dawn light streaming through the windows. He instinctively reached for Wanda, but the other side of the bed was empty. He thought she had left until he turned over and saw her standing at the windows, admiring the greenery all around.

“Good morning, Wanda.”

She turned at the sound of his voice. “Hi.” Slinking over to the bed, she climbed on top of him. Vision’s hands automatically went to her hips. She grinned down at him, anchoring her hands on his shoulders. “You know, you’re no longer the enemy.” He thought to tease that he had not been the enemy for some time. But she rocked her hips to underline her point, and the movement drew a sharp gasp from him.

He could barely articulate her other stated objection. “No, but we will be working together for the foreseeable future. What about mixing business with pleasure?”

She shrugged. Vision was entranced by the way her breasts moved with the gesture. “I was never really worried about that. Steve and Natasha sleep together sometimes, and they do just fine.” Wanda leaned closer to him, giving him a clear view down her loose top, and he swallowed audibly. “You’re just awfully fun to tease.”

“Am I?” His words came out slowly as she continued to move on top of him.

“Mmhmm.” He was encouraged by the growing haziness in her eyes. He gave her hips a squeeze and pulled her more tightly against him. She groaned low in her throat. He wanted to bring more of those sounds from her lips, so he pressed upwards. She whimpered, “More, please.”

Vision was quick to oblige her. He slipped his fingers under her top, pushing it over her head. Once her torso was bare, he stared at her breasts, which had occupied a large portion of his thoughts since before he had met her and over the course of their acquaintance. Seeing them in front of him in person was an entirely different experience.

He leaned up to kiss her. Wanda parted her lips, and he teased her tongue with his own. With the expanse of skin before him, he let his hands travel up her back before moving to the front to squeeze her tempting curves. She arched into his touch.

Meanwhile, Wanda’s hands were not idle. She had moved to the waistband of his pants. He shivered as the cool air hit his skin and her soft fingertips stroked him. When Vision finally tore himself away from her mouth, Wanda helped him get his shirt over his head. He used his leverage from sitting up to roll her over onto her back.

She giggled up at him. “What are you doing?”

“I want to find out how fun you are to tease.” He eased her shorts and panties down her legs to a renewed breath. “And I want to be helpful.”

She spread her legs for him, and he settled between them. Bracing his hands beside her head, Vision started kissing the hollow of her throat. He worked his way lower and lower. He let one of his hands creep down her chest, pausing to pluck and tug at her nipples as he had once promised he would. Wanda’s hitched sighs spurred him on. His fingertips roved lower, bypassing her core, despite the way she angled her hips toward him.

Instead, Vision walked his fingertips down her leg. Zigzagging back and forth from her inner to outer thigh, he held true to his promise to tease her. He could feel her glaring at him, but he opted to continue a slow graze back up her thigh.

“Vizh! Please…”

“Soon.” He pressed more kisses to her hipbones as she writhed beneath him. Vision could not believe they were finally here after all the months of build up and teasing. He wasted no more time contemplating his fortunate circumstances. Instead, he finally pressed a finger into her. As with every stage of their relationship, it was far better than his imagination.

Wanda moaned loudly and bucked her hips into his hand. He used his free hand to caress his way back up her side to her breasts. He squeezed lightly and her back arched further. Vision eased another finger into her, relishing the feel of her inner muscles contract around him. It didn’t take much more for her to come after that.

She blinked up at him hazily. By this point, he was positively throbbing and ached to be inside her, but he wanted to give her time to recover. Until she pulled him up to her, drawing him into a deep kiss.

“Thanks for that,” she said breathlessly after a few moments. She ran her hands up and down his back. “What else can you do?” Wanda’s smirk at a time like this set him alight even more.

Vision shifted to position himself at her entrance. He whispered in her ear as he held himself up, “Would you like to find out?”

“Yes!” With a groan, he finally let himself thrust into her. He paused, savoring the sensation of being enveloped in her warmth. He had just enough presence of mind to kiss her. He sank into her completely, into her kiss, into her embrace.

Eventually she rocked her hips up into his to spur him on. Vision took her cue, pressing his hips down into hers and retreating. Wanda rewarded him with more kisses down his neck. Their movements sped up until they had no breath to spare for kissing.

He could feel when Wanda was on the brink. She clutched him tighter and moaned into his skin. Angling his hips, he gave her a few more deep thrusts, and she was falling apart around him. He pressed more kisses to her skin and caressed her side as he eased her through the aftershocks of her orgasm.

But Vision could not hold out much longer. He was relieved when Wanda locked her ankles around his hips to urge him deeper. He gave in to his need, letting himself bury himself in her fully and cry out his pleasure.

Vision gradually came back to himself with soft hands rubbing his shoulders. He levered himself up and rolled to the side, though he was loath to leave her. After a moment of resituating themselves, Wanda was staring at him with a small smile on her face. “We should definitely do that again, Vizh.” 

He captured her hand and drew it to his lips, eyes never leaving her face. “Agreed, but I do not think I can immediately.”

“I didn’t say anything about immediately, but soon.” He nodded eagerly as she ran a fingertip along his chest and stomach. “Right now, do you want to shower with me before we meet the others?”

Vision could feel a giddy grin spread across his face. “It’s only right to conserve resources.”

She stretched and pulled him with her into his adjoining bathroom. As they stood under the warm water, wrapped in each other’s embrace, he thought that he would willingly trade his whole world for this moment all over again.

After they hurriedly dressed, Wanda and Vision made their way toward the voices coming from a room at the bottom of the stairs. No one noted their joint entry, but Natasha did smirk at them. Helping themselves to the fruit and pastries laid out on the table, they listened to T’Challa debrief them on the work his sister was undertaking to heal the intruders. They began to plan how to defeat Ross and end the Winter Soldier program once and for all.

There was much work ahead of them. But Ross would not escape the consequences of his crimes forever. They would work together to save his victims and ensure that no one else would be able to carry on his crimes.

With his new friends around him and Wanda secretly holding his hand under the table, the future looked bright.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you had nearly as much fun reading this as I had writing it. I am planning a sequel, but I have other deadlines to get to first, and I need a little bit of a break.
> 
> P.S. – I took some artistic license with the location of some of the exhibits referred to. The Antikythera Mechanism is actually held in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, not the Smithsonian. The other information about it is correct according to my research. It’s a cool artifact. There is also a room dedicated to Mata Hari (who really does have an interesting story) in her hometown of Leeuwarden, Netherlands.


End file.
